Wire drawing apparatus



April 18, 1933.

E. w. LARSEN 1,904,146

WIRE DRAWING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 9, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l April 18, 1933. E, w. LARSEN 1,904,146

WIRE DRAWING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 9, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 1933. E. w. LARSEN 1,904,146

WIRE DRAWING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 9, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Mme/War 7/7 W lame/7 Patented A r. 18,1933

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EINER W. LARSE'N, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR .TO WESTERN ELECTRIC GOM- PANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK WIRE DRAWING RPPA RATUS Application filed September 9, 1929. Serial No. 391,292.

This invention relates to wire drawing apparatus, and more particularly to a machine for pointing or swaging the end of a rod or wire and stringing or positioning thereon a die preparatory to reducing the crosssection of the rod or wire.

The primary object of this invention is a simple and compact arrangement for performing in a facile manner wire pointing or die stringing operations.

In accordance with the general features of this invention there is provided in one em bodiment thereof a rotary wire swaging or pointing device mounted axially within a rotatable drum adapted to draw the wire through a succession of dies individually. The pointing device and the drawing drum are each operated independently of the other from a driving shaft coaxial therewith by means of individual clutching means, de-.

' of Fig. 2.

to a frame 13, illustrated fragmentarily (Fig.

1) of a wire drawing apparatus. Extending axially through a sleevedike portion 14 of the frame 10, toward "the left, as viewed in 2, is a driving shaft 15. For convenience of operating and simplicity the shaft 15 in the particular application of the in.

vention is driven from a reversible air motor of a well known type (not shown) mounted in the frame 10, the air supply to which is controlled by a valve 18 actuated by a handle 19 extending toward the front of the machine within easy reach of an operator. The air may lee supplied from a suitable source tothe valve 18 by means of a pipe 20 (Fig. 1) and from the valve to inlet ports of the air motor by pipes 21, one of the latter pipes being used for each direction of rotation of the air motor shaft 15. r

The left end of the shaft 15, as viewed in Fig. 2, is formed with an enlarged shouldered portion 22 of two diameters. Keyed to the smaller diameter of the portion 22 is a ring 25 provided upon its periphery with a plurality of equally spaced depressions 26, each formed with a clutch surface 27. Carried in each of the depressions 26 is a clutching roller 28 normally urged counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1, in the depression, by a coiled compression spring 29 resting in a pocket formed in a wall of the depression 26. The purpose and operation of the clutching surfaces and rollers 27 and 28, respectively, will be described more fully hereinafter.

Surrounding the shaft 15 and journaled in the sleeve-like portion 14; of the frame 1% upon spaced sets of ball-bearings 32 is a sleeve 33. llhe sleeve 38 at its left end (Fig.

2) is formed with an enlarged portion 34 the shaft 15 and the ring 25 fixed thereto.-

The outer peripheral surface of the ring 25 closely fits the inner peripheral surface of the portion 84 of the sleeve 38, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and provides a continuous clutching surface opposed to the clutch surfaces 2? of the depressions 26 in the ring 25. in a clockwise direction during the die stringing operation the ring 25 keyed thereto will rotate in a similar direction and due to the gradually increasing distance of the clutch surfaces of the'latter throughout their length from the inner peripheral surface of the portion 34 of the sleeve 83 (Fig. 1) the rollers 28 will be wedged into clutching engagement between the surfaces 27 and the inner pe- 100) (till V7 hen the shaft 15 is rotated.

- ripheral surface of the sleeve portion 34 and provided the sleeve will consequently rotate with the shaft 15. It will be apparent that when the shaft 15 carrying the ring 25 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction during the wire pointing or swaging operation that no clutching engagement of the sleeve 33 with the shaft 15 will occur, but to prevent positively the rotation of the sleeve 33.during this'operation, which at times might'occur due to friction or binding of the parts, another clutching mechanism, to be presently described, is automatically brought into action. I

Also fitting the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve portion 34 and freely rotatable therein is a ring cage 35 carrying a plurality of steel rollers 36, the rollers being retained in the cage by a cover. plate 37 secured to the cage bv rivets 40, the periphery of the rollers engaging the inner periphery of the sleeve portion 34. The shouldered portion 22 of the shaft 15 is provided with a transverse slot 41 (Fig. 4) extending through its diameter at its axis, and fitting closely for radial movement therein is a forming device 42 of two similar sections, each having a complementary tapered depression extending longitudinally thereof and forming an aperture 43 for the end of the wire or rod to be pointed, the aperture being in axial alignment' with the axis of the shaft 15. Similarly mounted in the slot 41, as the forming sections 42. are two plungers 44, one at either side of each of the forming sections, the outer ends of the plungers being with rounded surfaces for engagement with the periphery of the rollers 36, while the inner ends thereof are flat and separated from the outer flat ends of the forming sections by'thin shims 45 of suitable material to provide for wear between the opposed surfaces and to position correctly the plungers 44 radially. The forming sections 42 and the plungers 44 are prevented from moving longitudinally in the slot 41 by a plate 47 secured to the outer end surface of the, shaft portion 22 by screws 48 (Fig. 1), the plate being provided with an aperture 49 axially aligned with the forming aperture 43 for entering the Wire to be pointed. Also the roller cage 35' is similarly retained in position in the sleeve portion 34 by a ring 50 secured to the outer end surface of the sleeve portion by a plurality Surrounding the periphery portion 34 is of the sleeve a drawing block or drum 52 comprising a sleeve 53 provided with a continuous flange 54 fon its inner periphery for predeterminedly positioning the sleeve on the portion 34, an inner fiat surface on flange engaging a complementary continuous shoulder 56 provided on the left end' of the sleeve portion 34. It will be observed that the retaining ring 50 also serves to secure the drum of screws 51.

in the operation of the machine is coiled on the drum sleeve 53 during the stringing operation from moving off the drum sleeve. The drum sleeve 53 is secured to rotate with the sleeve portion 34 during the operation of stringing dies to be referred to hereinafter by a spring actuated latch 58 pivoted in a slot 59 formed in the right end surface of the sleeve portion 34, as viewed in Fig. 2. The free outer end of the latch 58 extends into one of a plurality of notches 60 provided in a similar end surface of the drum sleeve 53 and is retained normally therein by a spring drawn pin 63 reciprocably carried in an aperture 64 formed in the sleeve portion 34, the outer end of the pin having a knob 65 pinned thereto. The aperture 64 is formed with an enlarged diameter at its end adjacent the knob 65, the shank portion of which is fitted in the enlarged diameter. Surrounding the pin 63 within the enlarged diameter of the aperture 64 is a coiled compression spring 66 engaging at opposite ends the inner fiat wall of the enlarged diameter and the fiat end surface of the shank port-ion of the knob 65.

It will be apparent that normally the latch 58 will be retained in the notch 60 of the drum sleeve 53 by the action of the spring 66 and upon pressing the knob 65 inwardly the latch will rotate counterclockwise about its pivot and out of the notch 60, and while so disengaged the drum sleeve may be'freely rotated upon the periphery of the sleeve portion 34, which at times is desirable in the operation of the machine, as will be referred to hereinafter.

A suitable wire or rod gripper 67 is pivoted at 68 to the forward end of the drawing drum sleeve 53 within a pocket 71 formed in the forward end and about the periphery of the sleeve. A spiral semi-circular groove 72 (dotted outline Fig. 1) of suitable width is cut in the peripheral surface of the drum sleeve 53 starting at the gripper 67 and continuing for such a distance on a helix that will allow for the succeeding turns of wire clearing the gripper 67 during the die stringing operations as is usual in stringing machines. In the rotation of the drawing drum sleeve 53 the gripper 67 is limited in its movement in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot 68 by a lug 73 formed thereon and normally held against a face of a block 74, fixed to the forward end of the drum sleeve, by a tension spring 75. tioned in a pocket 76 provided in the block 74, its opposite ends being attached to the lug 73 and a pin inserted in the block. The

The spring 75 is posineoaiae gripping jaws of the gripper 67 comprise a pair of tapered jaws 77 fitting in a pocket 80 provided with suitable dovetailed slideways 81. Une of the jaws 77 is equipped with a handle 82 whereby the jaws may be released and moved toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, along the slideways 81 for the purpose of permitt ng the end of a wire to be gripped therebetween or released therefrom. Pivotally mounted at 83 upon the bracket 11 adjacent its forward end is a die holder 84a The die holder 84 is permitted by means of an arcuate slot 87 formed in the bracket 11 and a pin 88 Fig. 2) carried by the die holder, cooperating in the slot", to swing about its pivot on a radius suitable for allowing several coils of wire as required to be distributed across the periphery of the drum sleeve 53 during the die stringing operation.

' Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3 the rotatable sleeve 33 intermediate the ball bearings 32 has fixed thereto by means of a key 89 a ring 90, the outer periphery of which provides a clutching surface 91. Surround ing the ring 90 is a stationary ring 94 secured to the sleeve portion 14 of the frame 10 by a pin 95 The inner periphery of the ring 94 at one side is provided with a plurality of equally spaced depressions 96., each formed with a clutch surface 97. Mounted in each of the depressions 96 is a clutching roller 98, the rollers being secured from longitudinal movement in the depressions by a covering ring suit-ably fixed to the left annular face of the ring 94: (Fig. 2). it will be observed, referring to Fig. 3, that each of the clutch surfaces 97 throughout its length is of gradually increasing d stance from the peripheral surface of the rotatable ring 99, the arrangement being such that when the shaft 15 is rotating in a counterclockwise direction, as hereinbefore described, the rollers 98 will roll toward the ends of the depressions 96 where the clutch surfaces 9? are nearest the periphery of the rotatable ring 90 and form a wedge between the clutch surfaces 97 and the periphery of v the ring 90 lreyed to the sleeve 33, therebv clutching t re latter to the stationary ring 94 and preventing the rotation of the sleeve 33 and the drawing drum 52 normally latched thereto as hereinbefore'described.

it will be understood upon the shaft 15 being rotated in a counterclockwise direction that while no clutching action of the rollers 28 between the clutch surfaces 27 of the ring 25 and the inner peripheral surface faces 97 of the depressions 96 of the stationary ring 94, whereupon the sleeve 33will be immediately held stationary.

1n the operation of the machine, when it is desired to point or swage the end of a rod or wire for the stringing of dies thereon, the valve handle 19 is actuated by rocking it, let us say, toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, whereupon the air motor (not shown) is set in motion and the shaft 15 operated thereby is rotated counterclockwise at a comparatively high rate of speed. As hereinbefore described a counterclockwise rotation of the shaft 15 causes the rollers 98 automatically to clutch the sleeve 33 having the enlarged portion 34, which carries the drawing drum 52 to the stationary ring- 94, thereby preventing rotation of the drum which is necessary in order for the rollers 36 and plungers at to cooperate during the pointing operation. The shaft 15 in rotating counterclockwise carries with it the forming sections 42 and plungers 44 which move outwardly in the slot 41 due to centrifugal force when passing between the steel rollers 36 carried in the freely rotatable ring cage 35, the outward movement of the rollers being limited by their engagement with the inner periphery of the ring cage 35.

Upon the rounded outer ends of the plungers 44 coming into contact with the rollers, as illustrated in dotted outline in Fig. 4, form ing sections 42 will simultaneously move rapidly inwardly with great force to hammer the end of a wire which has been inserted and is being held by an operator in the forming aperture i3. llhis action of the forming sections 42 is due to the plungers moving into engagement with the rollers and being forced inwardly as they pass the center thereof. The harnmer blow of the opposite forming" sections 42 upon the end of the wire occur in rapid succession, the operator holding the wire and gradually pressing it into the forming aperture until it is reduced in diameter or pointed for a sufficient distance from the end to receive a wire drawing die to be strung thereonc The wire is then withdrawn from the forming aperture 43 and the valve handle 19 is rocked to its neutral position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the machine stops operat ing. Thereafter the pointed end of the wire as shown at 101 (Fig. 1) is inserted into the aperture of a wire drawing die 102, shown in dotted outline Fig. 1, the end of the wire projecting th rough the aperture a length sufficient to be gripped between the jaws 77 of the gripper 67 mounted on the drawing drum 52. ll'he operator now presses the lrnolo 65 inwardly, releasing the latch 58 from the engaged notch 60 of the drawing drum sleeve 53, whereupon the latter may be freely rotated upon tho sleeve portion 34. By grasping the handle 82 of the gripper 6'? the drum sleeve llti 58 is freely rotated in a counterclockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 1, which is the position in which it stopped after the last die stringing operation, to the dotted outline position of the gripper 67 adjacent the die holder 84:- lhe wire drawing die 102 with the pointed end of the wire 101 extending a short distance therefrom is then placed against the lower surface 103 of the horizontal arm of the die holder 84. and the end of the wire is gripped by the jaws 77 of the gripper 67 after the jaws are opened by pulling upwardly upon the handle 82, while in its dotted outline position (Fig. 1), and inserting the wire between the jaws.

Upon actuating the valve handle 19 toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, the shaft 15 will rotate clockwise thus causing the rollers 28 to practically instantaneously clutch the portion 34 of the sleeve 33 to the ring keyed to the shaft 15 and consequently the sleeve and the shaft will rotate as a unit and when the spring drawn latch 58 carried by the portion 34 of the sleeve 33 rides into the nearest notch 60 in the drawing drum 52 the latter will be rotated along with the sleeve and through the gripper 67 carried by the drum 52 the wire 101 will be drawn through the stationary wire drawing die 102 until asufficient number of turns of wire have been wound on the periphery of the drawing drum 52 to provide for the succeeding reductions and proper locations of other dies thereon, as is usual in drawing die stringing practice. The valve handle 19 is then rocked to its neutral position and the machine stops and the wire wound on the drawing drum 52 is then removed by the operator. In a like manner the following drawing dies are strung upon the wire, the end of the wire being pointed again, if necessary, as before described, for insertion in each of the succeeding dies before being placed in position in the die holder 84 in position to be gripped by the gripper 67.

It will be understood that during the operation of stringing dies upon the wire the drawing drum 52, the forming sections 42 and the plungers 44 will rotate in unison, the forming sections and the plungers rotating in an opposite direction to that when pointing the wire. During this reverse rotation of the forming sections and plungers no hammering of the forming sections by the rollers 36 will take place, since no relative rotary move-- ment between the ring cage 35 carrying the rollers 86 and the other rotating members occurs.

The combined wire pointing and die stringing mechanisms concentrically arranged and independently operated from a common driving means by merely reversing the direction of rotation thereof provide a compact and efficient arrangement for a mechanism for performing these operations, and one which results in reducing the time required by an operator to complete a wire die stringing operation.

It will be understood thatthe embodiment herein described is merely illustrative of the invention, which is'limite-d only by the terms of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: I

1. In an apparatus for pointing the end of a wire and stringing dies thereon, a wire pointing device, a. wire drawing drum arranged therearound, a common driving means for the pointing device and the drawing drum, means for reversing the direction of motion of the driving means, and means responsive solely to the direction of motion of the driving means for operating the .wire pointing device and the drawing drum independently of each other.

2. In an apparatus .for pointing the end of a wire and stringing dies thereon, a wire pointing device, a rotary wire drawing drum surrounding the device, a common driving shaft for the pointing device and the drawing drum arranged axially of the device, means for reversing the direction of motion of the shaft, and means responsive solely to the direction of motion of the shaft for operating the device and the drum independently of each other.

3. In an apparatus for pointing the end of a wire and stringing dies thereon, concentrically arranged independently operable wire pointing means and a drawing drum, a driving shaft arranged axially of the pointing means and drawing drum, means for reversing the direction of motion of the shaft, and means responsive solely to the direction of motion of the shaft for operating the wire pointing and drawing means independently of each other.

4. In an apparatus for pointing the end of a wire and stringing dies thereon, a rotary wire pointing device, a rotary wire drawing drum concentrically arranged therearound, a rotary shaft arranged axially of the device, means for rotating the shaft'in reversedirections, and individual. clutching means for operatively connecting either the device or the drum to the shaft independently of each other, the clutching means responsive solely to the'direction of rotation of the shaft.

5. In an apparatus for pointing the end of a wire and stringing dies thereon, a wire pointing device including a sectional rotary forming member for receiving the end of a wire therebetween, means for supporting the forming sections for radial movement due to centrifugal force during rotation thereof, a plurality of swaging elements revolvable about and engaging the forming sections to move them inwardly to point the Wire, a 'wire drawing drum adapted to rotate about the wire pointing device, a driving means for the wire pointing device and the drawing neoaiae means, means for reversing the direction of motion of the driving means, and means responsive solely to the direction of motion of the driving means for operating the wire pointing device and the drawing means inde pendently of each other.

'6. In an apparatus for pointing the end of a wire and stringing dies thereon, a rotary wire pointing device, a rotary wire W drawing drum surrounding the device, a common driving shaft arranged axially of the device, means for reversing the direction of rotation of the shaft, a clutching mechanism for operatively connecting the shaft with the drawing drum responsive solely to one direction of rotation of the shaft, and another clutching mechanism responsive solely to a direction of rotation of the shaft reverse to that when operating the drawing drum for 2% operating the pointing device to hold the drawing drum stationary,

7.. ln an apparatus for pointing the end of a wire and stringing dies thereon, a rotary wire pointing device, a rotary wire drawing drum concentrically arranged around the device, a common driving shaft for the pointing device and the drawing means arranged axially of the device, means for reversing the direction of rotation of the shaft, a sleeve 3@ connected to the drum and surrounding the shaft, the periphery of the shaft provided with clutch surfaces, I clutching means between the inner periphery of the sleeve and the clutch surfaces cooperating with the latter to connect the sleeve and therewith the drawing drum to the shaft when the shaft is rotated in a predetermined direction for operating the drawing drum, a stationary ring surrounding the sleeve provided with clutch surfaces, and clutching members between the outer periphery of the sleeve and the clutch surfaces cooperating with the latter when the shaft is rotated in a direction reverse to that when operating the drawing drum for operating the pointing device to hold the drawing drum stationary.

8. In an apparatus for pointing the end of a wire and stringing dies thereon, a rotary wire pointing device, a rotary wire drawing drum concentrically arranged therearound, a rotary shaft arranged axially of the device, means for rotating the shaft in reverse directions, and individual clutching means comprising roller members and inclined surfaces for operatively connecting either the device or the drum to the shaft independently of each other, the clutching means responsive solely to the direction of rotation of the shaft.

9. In a'wire pointing and die stringing apparatus, a wire pointin device, a rotary [shaft arranged axially o the device, a wire drawing drum concentricall arranged therearound, a sleeve between t e drum and the device and having a larger portion and a smaller portion, means for rotating the shaft in reverse directions, clutching means operative on the larger portion for driving the drum from the shaft, and separate clutching m means operative upon the smaller portion for driving the device from the shaft independently of the drum.

10. lln a wire pointing and die stringing apparatus, a rotary wire drawing drum, a rotary multiple section forming member for receiving the end of a wire therein arranged axially of the drum, means for rotating and supporting the forming sections for radial movement due to centrifugal force during rotation thereof, a plurality of swaging elements revolvahle about and engaging the forming sections to move them inwardly to point the wire, the wire drawing drum adapted to rotate about the wire pointing device, a driving means for the wire pointing device and the drawing means, means for reversing the direction of motion of the driving means, and means responsive solely to the direction of motion of the driving means for W operating the wire pointing device and the drawing means independently of each other In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 29 day of August A. D., 1929.

' EINER W, LARSEN. 

